Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1887-08-24

IVA ROAA ~ Va RuOAkO AuVys
- "Some Illustrations of Napo-
leon and His Times" By John C.
Ropes, in Scribner's Magazine
Java.
Java is regarded ~ the most fertile
and prosperous tropical Island on the
globe. 1t is south Of Borneo, and the
fourth island of the Malavan archipel-
ago in size, having an area Of 30, 900
square miles. It is q colonial posses
sion OF Holland. The surface of the
island is mountainous, . range OF lofty
peaks running from one end Of the is
land to the other, and another range
skirting the south coast. All of these
mountains are of volcanic formation,
and there are IN the island t~hirty-eight
volcanoes, the most of them constantly
active. Some of the most terrible
eruptions on record have occurred on
this island, among which may be mem
toned the outbreaks Of the volcano
Papandayang in the year 1772. of Ga
lunggong in 1922, and Krakatoa in
1888. Between the peaks Of the noun
tains in the central part Of the island
are several plateaus which are very
fertile, and have q delightful climate,
owing to their elevation above the hot
district OF the shore. Along the north
side of the island is o long, low, and
very very fertile plain. All Of the
island is we'll watered. The seasons
are two, the wet and the dry, and the
temperature of the island is very
equable. All tropical fruits, birds, and
animals abound in the lowlands, and on
the high plateaus oil grains and fruits
OF temperate climates can be success
fully raised. Java is one of the prin-
cipal coffee-growing countries in the
world; sugar is next in Importance;
then comes rice, of which two crops are
annually raised; indigo, pepper, tea,
and tobacco are also exported. The
population OF Java is estimated at over
II, ,OOO. About $4,000 Europeans
reside on the island; there are also
about 19O, 600 Chinese, and some &c, 900
Arabs and other foreign orientals; the
rest are natives. The Javanese are
almost entirely occupied in agriculture,
though they have some knowledge Of
the mechanic arts, and make bricks
and tiles, build houses and boats, and
work in metals with some skill. The
women of the country also weave q
stout cotton cloth, and make coarse
silk cloth from raw silk imported from
China. The ancestors of the present
race of Javanese must have had con-
siderable knowledge OF architecture,
Judging from the remarkable specimens
OF ancient temples, most of them in
ruins, to be see throughout the island,
but this knowledge has been entirely
lost. The Javanese have made some
progress in music, of which they
are passionately fond, and they have
both wind and stringed instruments. In
religion the Javanese are Moham-
medans, this faith having been estab-
lished among them by the Arabs in the
fifteenth century. The principal unit
in Javanese politics is the village, whose
officers are all elected by the people,
and are charged with the collection Of
the taxes and the maintenance OF pub
lie order. The native rulers are al
lowed by the Dutch to retain their rank
and nominal power as regents, but the
real power is in the Governor General
appointed by the Netherlands Govern
ment, who is assisted by q vice presi-
dent and q council of four, and has his
orders directly from the King of Hol-
land. Inter Ocean.